Image processing system, method and apapratus for correlating position data with image data

ABSTRACT

A navigation system includes a processing unit for generating route data relating to a route along which a vehicle has actually traveled, from position data acquired by a position acquiring unit, an image data acquiring section for acquiring image data, a first storage section for storing the image data acquired by the image acquiring unit according to groups of respective destinations, and a second storage section for storing the route data generated by the processing unit. A link data generating section is provided for correlating the respective destinations with the respective route data via link data. An outputting unit is configured to extract a group linked to a destination by the link data in response to a manual designation of a route data stored in the second storage section or to a manual or automatic designation of a designation included in that route data and then to output the image data included in that group from the first storage section to an outputting section.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a technique, implemented as an imageprocessing system, method or apparatus, for correlating position datawith image data. The position data is obtained by a position acquiringmeans and the image data, which can be photographic image data, isobtained by image data acquiring means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

The technique relating to an image processing system having theabove-described construction is known from e.g. Japanese PatentApplication “Kokai” No. 2002-81955 (Patent Document 1), Japanese PatentApplication “Kokai” No. 2003-269981 (Patent Document 2) and JapanesePatent Application “Kokai” No. 2003-281169 (Patent Document 3).

More particularly, Patent Document 1 discloses a navigation apparatusoperable to store image data (e.g. photographic image data) and sounddata (e.g. background music data) as additional information incorrespondence with navigation data to a certain destination or routedata relating to a route along which a vehicle has actually traveled toreach a certain destination and to output e.g. such correlatedphotographic image data and e.g. the background music data when adisplay unit displays the navigation data or the route data.

With this navigation apparatus, a present position detected by aposition detector (corresponding to “position acquiring means” of thepresent invention) is displayed on a map through a map matchingprocessing and in response to an input of a destination or a route tothe destination, a route search operation is effected to displaynavigation data on the map. When this navigation route is registered(entered), in accordance with a user's operation, the additionalinformation such as desired image data relating to the navigating routeis stored in correlation with the navigating route. Then, when needed,the additional information thus stored will be selectively retrievedfrom the apparatus to be displayed.

Patent Document 2 discloses a basic operation mode of a navigationapparatus for causing a display panel to display road map data and aself-position data through a map matching operation.

More particularly, the apparatus inputs data from a DVD-ROM storingtherein specifying data for specifying a geographic point, a realimage(s) of the point, image display position data for displaying thereal image and link data for linking the real image to the road mapdata. Then, in response to a user's operation for designating a point,the apparatus displays, on the display panel, a recorded real image onthe road map.

Patent Document 3 discloses a portable media contents playerincorporating in a body thereof a contents data storage section forobtaining and storing e.g. music and/or image contents (mainly musiccontents) from an external device. After the storage, a controller ofthe player is operable to reproduce or play back the contents whendemanded. According to this Patent Document 3, it is described that theabove contents data can also be video image or still image.

If a car navigation system is to correlate image data with route data ofa route the vehicle (car) has actually traveled, and if the system is tocorrelate a plurality of image data, the system needs to effect anoperation for specifying respective position on the route and a furtheroperation for correlating pre-selected image data with the specifiedposition.

In the above respect, the invention of Patent Document 1 provides anediting function for allowing manual editing of inputted additionalinformation for its storage in correlation with the route data. For thesame purpose, the invention of Patent Document 2 employs the link datafor linking the real image of each point with the map data. This linkdata is generated by creating an icon from the real image and a user'sinput operation of an address of the point such as the name of the city,town, etc.

In recent years, the digital cameras have been improved in theirperformances and have been increasingly inexpensive as well. Hence, manyusers carry a digital camera when traveling in their private cars to asightseeing area to take photos of scenic spots and places of historicinterest or of snapshots with such spots or places as backgrounds.Ideally, such photos should be printed on print papers and stored in aphoto album.

However, photographic image data obtained by a digital camera can beconveniently displayed on a monitor of a personal computer. For thisreason, many users would often enjoy once the photos (data) on themonitor of the computer, then would not use or enjoy them thereafter.

On the other hand, when a user is to travel to a same sightseeing areaonce visited by driving in his/her own car, if the user can enjoy therespective places visited there by viewing the photos taken therebefore, such viewing will increase the joy of traveling there again. Asdescribed above, however, in actuality, many users increasingly tend todo without obtaining any prints of the photographic image data. On theother hand, even if a user obtains the prints of the photographic imagesof previously visited sightseeing place and files them in a photo album,the user will find it troublesome to carry the album with him/her whentraveling again to that place. In these respects, there remains room forimprovement.

Further, during hiking or trekking, one often takes photos of naturalsubjects such as mountains or fields as well as snap photos with themountain or the like as the background. However, unlike image data ofsightseeing place, photographic image data obtained of a mountain or thelike usually lacks any visually distinguished photographic subject,which often makes difficult accurate identification of the point ofphotography later based on the acquired image data.

The photographic image data obtained not only during trekking, but alsosightseeing, such data should ideally be printed on e.g. print papersand stored in a photo album. However, as described hereinbefore, manyusers choose to enjoy only the data being displayed on a monitorconnected to a personal computer in the form of “slide show”. Inparticular, when the image data are displayed conveniently in the formof a slide show on the PC, the image data are just switched over on thedisplay according to the order of their photographic operations. Hence,the user cannot recognize his/her traveled route. In this respect too,there has been a desire for improvement.

In order to overcome such inconveniences, it is conceivable to employthe recently developed type of digital camera having the GPS (GlobalPositioning System) to identify the point of photography by takingadvantage of the GPS function.

However, such up-to-date digital camera having the GPS function is muchmore expensive than more “conventional” digital cameras without GPSfunction. There has been also proposed a technique for realizing anoperation which allows positioning data obtained by the GPS function tobe displayed on map data in order to identify the point of eachphotography. However, even when this technique is employed, thetechnique is just operable to display each image data and map and thepoint of photography where the data was obtained on the map data. Hence,in order to correlate a plurality of photographic points with aplurality of image data acquired at the respective points, with takingtime lapse into consideration, the technique requires some manualediting operation. Therefore, this technique too has room forimprovement in terms of convenience.

In view of the above-described state of the art, there is a need for anapparatus which allows a user to readily grasp the point of photographywhere image data was obtained by a digital camera not having the GPSfunction, when e.g. displayed on a personal computer, without effectingany special operation such as an edit operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the invention is to realize an image processingtechnique which allows a user to grasp the point of photography of imagedata acquired by a digital camera.

For accomplishing the above-noted object, according to one aspect of thepresent invention, there is proposed a navigation system comprising:

a processing unit for generating route data relating to a route alongwhich a vehicle has actually traveled, from position data acquired byposition acquiring means;

an image data acquiring section for acquiring image data;

a first storage section for storing the image data acquired by the imageacquiring means according to groups of respective destinations;

a second storage section for storing the route data generated by theprocessing unit;

link data generating means for correlating the respective destinationswith the respective route data via link data; and

outputting means configured to extract a group linked to a destinationby the link data in response to a manual designation of a route datastored in the second storage section or to a manual or automaticdesignation of a designation included in that route data and then tooutput the image data included in that group from the first storagesection to an outputting section.

With the above construction, for example, after the image data acquiringmeans acquires image data obtained by a digital camera, the firststorage section stores this image data according to a group associatedwith each destination and the second storage section stores a routealong which the vehicle has actually traveled. After the image data andthe route data are stored in this way, the link data generating mans cancorrelate the destination stored in the first storage section with routedata stored in the second storage section. Subsequent to thiscorrelating or linking operation, when a user manually selects routedata stored in the second storage section and then manually selects adesignation included in that route data or the position acquiring meansautomatically designates a destination, the outputting means extracts agroup linked to that destination via the link data and then outputs theimage data included in that group from the first storage section to anoutputting section.

As a result, when the outputting means is adapted for e.g. displayingimage data on a display unit, the display unit can display image datacorrelated with the manually selected destination or the presentposition of the vehicle. Further, even when a number of image data areto be displayed, this does not require the many image data in the formof thumbnails, thus avoiding complication of contents to be displayed.

According to one preferred embodiment of the navigation system, saidprocessing unit self-generates route data and said second storagesection stores this self-generated route data, and in response to amanual or automatic designation from a plurality of destinationsincluded in the route data, the image data included in a groupcorrelated with that designation is read from the first storage sectionand displayed.

With this construction, for example, route data relating to the shortestroute to the designation or imaginary route data can be freelygenerated, and by correlating image data according to a group with eachdestination present on the route data, display unit can display asimulation of traveling of the vehicle on that route data and image dataof the group corresponding to the designation of the vehicle. Namely,with the above construction, e.g. route data of a straight or freely setcurved route can be generated and the display unit can display suchstraight or curved linear route data, rather than map data and displayalso image data for each destination on that route date. In this way, asimple mode of display is made possible.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, thesystem further comprises a map data storage section for storing mapdata; and said processing unit extracts from the map data storagesection, map data corresponding to the position data acquired by theposition acquiring means and causes the display unit to display this mapdata and the route data on that map data.

With this construction, the display unit displays map data and displaysalso the route data on that map data. Hence, this facilitates the user'sgrasping the detailed of the route along which the vehicle has traveled.And, for instance, when the display unit displays the image data, withreference to the map data and the route data, the user can visuallygrasp the point of the photography of the image data, i.e. the pointwhere the image data was obtained, easily.

According to a still further preferred embodiment of the navigationsystem, said image data acquiring section includes a semiconductor drivefor acquiring image data from a semiconductor medium adapted for storingimage data obtained by a digital camera or includes a terminal foracquiring image data stored in a digital camera via a communicationchannel.

With the above construction, by acquiring image data from asemiconductor medium commonly used in a digital camera or via a cableconnected to the digital camera, the system can readily acquire imagedata obtained by a digital camera.

According to another preferred embodiment of the navigation system ofthe invention, the navigation system further comprises a media drive forstoring data in a storage medium and storage processing means forstoring data in a storage medium set to said media drive.

Preferably, said storage processing means is adapted for storing, in thestorage medium set to said media drive, a computer-executable program,the mage data stored in the first storage section, the route data storedin the second storage section and the link data.

With this construction, into the storage medium such as a CD-R, DVD-R,etc. set to the media drive, the storage processing means stores theimage data, the route data, the link data and the outputting meansrealized in the form of a program. Then, when the medium storing suchdata is set to a standard personal computer, the computer can displaythe image data for each destination in the same display mode as thedisplay on the display unit of the navigation system.

For accomplishing the above-noted object, according to another aspect ofthe present invention, there is proposed a computer-executable programhaving instructions for realizing

an image data storing function for storing a plurality of acquired imagedata according to groups of respective destinations;

a route data storing function for storing route data indicative of aroute of a vehicle;

a link data generating function for correlating the respectivedestinations and the respective route data with the grouped image data;and

an outputting function for extracting a group linked to a destination bylink data and outputting image data included in that group, in responseto a manual designation of a designation included in that route data.

With the above construction, with such minor improvement of theconventional navigation system, i.e. not more than the addition of theimage data acquiring means thereto and installing the above-describedprogram therein, there is realized the navigation system wherein theimage data storing function stores image data, the route data storingfunction stores route data, the link data generating function correlateseach designation present on the route data with the grouped image dataand the outputting function outputs the image data correlated to eachdesignation via the link data.

For accomplishing the above-noted object, according to a still furtheraspect of the present invention, there is proposed an image processingsystem comprising:

a processing unit for correlating position data acquired by positionacquiring means with photographic image data acquired by an image dataacquiring section;

an image data storing section for storing map image data indicated bysaid position data; and

an outputting section for outputting the photographic image data;

wherein said position acquiring means acquires timing data forspecifying a time when said position data was acquired;

said processing unit includes a link processing means for correlatingphotographic date data annexed to said photographic image data and saidtiming data by correlating said position data with said photographicimage data via link data; and

said processing unit further includes output controlling means foroutputting map image data extracted from the image data storage sectionbased on the position data and the photographic image data correlated tothe position data via the link data to said outputting section.

With the above construction, based on the timing data of the positiondata acquired by the position acquiring means and the photographic datedata annexed to the photographic image data, the link processing meansgenerates the link data and effects the correlation. Hence, forinstance, it becomes possible to automatically effect the operation forcorrelating photographic image data obtained by a digital camera at alocation where the position acquiring means was present with itsposition data. Further, the outputting section can be a display unit, amedia drive for storing in a medium, etc. Then, as the position data andthe photographic image data correlated therewith and the link data areoutputted by the output controlling means to the outputting section,these data can be obtained from the outputting section. As a result,there is realized a system which allows position data to be readilycorrelated with photographic image data for user's gasp of thephotographic image data taken at that position, by using the timing dataof the position data acquired by the position acquiring means and thephotographic date data annexed to the photographic image data.

According to one preferred embodiment of the image processing system ofthe invention, said outputting section is a display unit for displayingimages and said processing unit is configured to effect a storingoperation for storing a plurality of the position data within a set timeperiod, storing the photographic image data acquired by the image dataacquiring means and storing also the link data generated by the linkprocessing means for correlating the photographic image data with theposition data; and

said output controlling means is configured to effect a playbackoperation for obtaining the position data by designating the timing dataone after another, displaying the map image data corresponding to eachposition data on the display unit and displaying, also on the displayunit, the photographic image data correlated to the position dataacquired by the position acquiring means of the plurality of theposition data stored by the storing operation.

With this construction, after the photographic image data is correlatedwith the position data, when e.g. the position acquiring means is moved,if this moved position acquiring means acquires position datacorresponding to the position data stored already, then, thephotographic image data correlated with such position data will bedisplayed on the display unit. Namely, if the system is implemented as acar navigation system or a portable navigation system, in e.g. asightseeing place, after photographic image data such as photos of thesightseeing place or snap photos is stored in correlation with the placewhere the system was present, then, if the system is present again inthe same sightseeing place (stored position), the stored photographicimage data can be displayed, i.e. played back, on the display unit, sothat the user can enjoy the images just like a photo album.

According to another preferred embodiment of the image processing systemof the invention, said outputting section is a display unit fordisplaying images and said processing unit is configured to effect astoring operation for storing a plurality of the position data within aset time period, storing the photographic image data acquired by theimage data acquiring means and storing also the link data generated bythe link processing means for correlating the photographic image datawith the position data; and

said output controlling means is configured to effect, after the storingoperation, a simulating operation for extracting one after anotherposition data corresponding to designated timing data from the pluralityof stored position data by designating the timing data one after anotheralong a time base and then displaying, on the display unit, one afteranother the map image data corresponding to the plurality of positiondata extracted and extracting photographic image data correlated withthe extracted position data and extracting the photographic image datacorrelated to the extracted position data and displaying the extractedphotographic image data on the display unit.

With the above construction, after the correlation of the position datawith the photographic image data, by effecting the simulation operationfor designating the timing data one after another along the time base,the position data corresponding to the designated timing data areextracted one after another and the photographic image data correlatedto the position data corresponding to the position data are displayed onthe display unit. Namely, if the system is implemented as a carnavigation system or a portable navigation system, in e.g. a sightseeingplace, after photographic image data such as photos of the sightseeingplace or snap photos is stored in correlation with the place where thesystem was present, then, by effecting the simulation operation, theuser can enjoy the images just like a photo album.

According to a preferred embodiment of the image processing system, saidoutputting section is a media drive for storing data in a storagemedium, and said processing unit is configured to effect a storingoperation for storing a plurality of the position data within a set timeperiod, storing the photographic image data acquired by the image dataacquiring means and storing also the link data generated by the linkprocessing means for correlating the photographic image data with theposition data; and

said output controlling means is configured to effect a storingoperation for storing the position data, the photographic image data,the link data stored by the storing operation and map image datacorresponding to the position data in the recording medium set to themedia drive.

With this construction, after the storing operation for storing theposition data, the photographic image data and the link data iseffected, these data can be stored in a storage medium. That is, thedata stored in the storage medium can be displayed later on e.g. adisplay unit of a personal computer, when desired.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the image processingsystem of the present invention, said output controlling means writesthe position data, the photographic image data and the link data storedin the storage medium in a data format which allows reading of the dataaccording to the order along the time base of the timing data.

With this construction, the position data and the photographic imagedata stored in the storage medium can be read out according to the orderalong the time base, so that the system can allow use of the datasimilar to an “electric album” in which the points of photography andthe images are linked to each other.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the image processingsystem of the present invention, said output controlling means writesthe position data, the photographic image data and the link data storedin the storage medium and the map image data in a data format whichallows reading of the data according to the order along the time base ofthe timing data.

With this construction, by using the GPS unit constituting the carnavigation system, when e.g. a user travels in his/her own car, it ispossible to correlate photographic image data obtained by a digitalcamera with the position data of the travel by the car. Then, forexample, the display unit can display each position of the point wherethe photographic image data was obtained on the map data as well as suchphotographic image data.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the image processingsystem of the present invention, said position acquiring means comprisesa UPS unit constituting a car navigation system and said map image datais map data used in the car navigation system and said outputcontrolling means is a media drive for storing the data in a disc orsemiconductor type storage medium.

With this construction, by using the GPS unit constituting the carnavigation system, when e.g. a user travels in his/her own car, it ispossible to correlate photographic image data obtained by a digitalcamera with the position data of the travel by the car. Then, forexample, the storage medium such as a DVD-R can store the map data andthe photographic image data and these data stored in that storage mediumcan be displayed later on a display unit of a personal computer forexample.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the image processingsystem of the present invention, said image data acquiring sectioncomprises a plurality of semiconductor drives for acquiring photographicimage data from a semiconductor type storage medium used with a digitalcamera and said plurality of semiconductor drives are disposed adjacenta plurality of seats in a vehicle.

With the above construction, in a vehicle having a plurality of seatssuch as a sightseeing bus, a semiconductor drive can be disposedadjacent each seat for storing photographic image data obtained by adigital camera of each passenger seated at that seat. Then, such storedphotographic image data are correlated to position data to be displayedon a display unit or stored in a storage medium.

For accomplishing the above-noted object, according to a further aspectof the present invention, there is proposed an image processing methodcomprising the steps of:

correlating position data acquired by a position acquiring section withphotographic image data acquired by an image data acquiring section;

storing map image data indicative of position of position data in animage data storage section;

acquiring timing data for specifying a time when the position data wasacquired;

a link processing step for correlating the position data with thephotographic image data via link data so that photographic date dataannexed to the photographic image data and the timing data maycorrespond to each other; and

an outputting step for outputting the map image data extracted from theimage data storage section based on the position data and thephotographic image data correlated with the position data via the linkdata to an outputting section.

With the above construction, based on the timing data of the positiondata acquired by the position acquiring means and the photographic datedata annexed to the photographic image data, the link processing meansgenerates the link data and effects the correlation. Hence, forinstance, it becomes possible to automatically effect the operation forcorrelating photographic image data obtained by a digital camera at alocation where the position acquiring means was present with itsposition data. Further, the outputting section can be a display unit, amedia drive for storing in a medium, etc. Then, as the position data andthe photographic image data correlated therewith and the link data areoutputted to the outputting section, these data can be obtained from theoutputting section. As a result, there is realized a method which allowsposition data to be readily correlated with photographic image data foruser's gasp of the photographic image data taken at that position, byusing the timing data of the position data acquired by the positionacquiring means and the photographic date data annexed to thephotographic image data.

For accomplishing the above-noted object, according to a still furtheraspect of the present invention, there is proposed an image processingsystem comprising:

an image data acquiring section for acquiring image data obtained by adigital camera;

a data storing section for storing data;

a processing unit for storing the image data acquired by the image dataacquiring section in the data storing section;

position acquiring means for acquiring position data; and

a portable-sized apparatus body including a map data storing section forstoring map data indicative of position of the position data acquired bythe position acquiring means and an outputting section for outputtingthe data stored in the data storing section;

wherein said processing unit is configured to effect a position datastoring operation for continuously acquiring the position data by theposition acquiring means and storing the data in the data storingsection, an image data storing operation for storing the image dataacquired by the image data acquiring section in the data storingsection, a link data generating operation for generating link data forcorrelating the position data with the image data, and a link datastoring operation for storing the link data in the data storing section;and

said processing unit is further configured to effect an outputtingoperation for causing said outputting section to output the positiondata stored in the data storing section, the map data indicative of theposition of the position data and the image data correlated with theposition data.

With the above construction, by the position data storing operation, theposition data acquired by the position data acquiring means iscontinuously stored in the data storing section and when the image dataacquiring section obtains the image data. Then, by the image datastoring operation, the image data is stored in the storing section andby the link data generating operation, there is generated the link datafor correlating the position data and the image data and by thesubsequent link data storing operation, this link data is stored in thestoring section. After the storage of data described above, by theoutputting operation, the position data, the image data and the linkdata stored in the data storing section and the map data stored in themap data storing section can be outputted respectively. That is to say,according to this invention, when image data is acquired, it is possibleto correlate this image data with the position data as data indicativeof the point of photography where the image data was obtained. Moreover,these data and the map data indicative of the position of thephotographic point can be outputted. Hence, if the outputted data aredisplayed on a monitor unit of a personal computer, based on thephotographic point where the image data was obtained and a plurality ofposition data (plurality of position data continuously acquired), aroute can be generated and the user can grasp these with reference tomap data such as a geographical map or an illustration.

As a result, there is achieved an image processing system capable ofstoring image data obtained by a digital camera and outputting the dataas image data in such a manner as to allow ready grasp of photographicpoints of the stored image data and the route traveled.

According to a preferred embodiment of the image processing system ofthe invention, the system further comprises link processing means foreffecting the generation of the link data, said link processing meansbeing operable to compare timing data for specifying the time ofacquisition of the position data with photographic date data annexed tothe image data and to generate link data which link timing data andphotographic data agreeing with or similar to each other.

With this construction, when image data is acquired, the link processingmeans can automatically effect the correlation between this image datawith position data. Hence, it becomes possible to eliminate the troubleof the user's effecting some special editing operation or the like.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the image processingsystem of the present invention, said apparatus body includes a displayunit and said processing unit causes the display unit to display the mapdata corresponding to the position data and the image data correlatedwith the position data.

With the above construction, the display unit of the apparatus body candisplay the image data in association with e.g. detailed map data or aschematic map data such as a sightseeing map, as the map data, so thatthe user can confirm the point of the photography of the image dataalso.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the image processingsystem of the invention, said position acquiring means comprises a GPSunit for acquiring the position data by receiving radio waves from aplurality of artificial satellites.

With this construction, by acquiring high precision position data, theidentification of the photographic point can be effected with higherprecision.

According to a further embodiment of the image processing system of theinvention, said position acquiring means comprises a GPS unit foracquiring the position data by receiving radio waves from a plurality ofartificial satellites, said GPS unit storing, together with the positiondata, a time of the acquisition of the position data as said timingdata;

said link processing means effects said linking operation for linkingtiming data and photographic data agreeing with or similar to eachother, an automatic link mode in which photographic date data includedin Exif data annexed to the image data obtained by the digital cameraand the timing data agreeing therewith or similar thereto are linked toeach other; and

said link processing means effects also a correction link mode operationin which all photographic date data included in the Exif data annexed tothe image data obtained by the digital camera are shifted by a samevalue and then the shifted photographic date data and the timing dataare correlated with each other.

With the above construction, by acquiring high precision position data,the identification of the photographic point can be effected with higherprecision. In addition, based on the timing data generated by this GPSunit and the photographic date data included in the Exif data annexed tothe image data obtained by the digital camera, the position data and theimage data can be automatically correlated with each other with highprecision. Further, when e.g. there is a time error between a clockincluded in the digital camera and the timing data, by shifting allphotographic date data included in the Exif data by a same value, theposition data and the image data can be correlated with an appropriatetiming.

According to a still further preferred embodiment of the imageprocessing system of the invention, said image data acquiring sectionacquires image data from a storage medium used in the digital camera andif said processing unit determines that the storage medium is set tosaid image data acquiring section, the unit discriminates the pluralityof image data stored in that storage medium and stores in the datastorage section only image data excluding the image data stored alreadyin the data storing section.

With the above construction, when a plurality of image data are stored,the system can eliminate the inconvenience of storing same image data induplication and can store only the necessary image data in a reliablemanner.

Further and other features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent upon reading the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing a construction of a navigation system accordingto a first embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a view the car navigation system relating to the firstembodiment and installed in an automobile,

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the navigation system of the firstembodiment,

FIG. 4 is a view showing an operation menu relating to the firstembodiment,

FIG. 5 is a view showing a selecting screen relating to the firstembodiment,

FIG. 6 is a view showing display contents when date data correction isto be effected based on a photographic point and an actual photographicpoint in a confirming screen relating to the first embodiment,

FIG. 7 is a view showing a playback screen in a playback mode relatingto the first embodiment,

FIG. 8 is a view showing a playback screen in an actual traveling moderelating to the first embodiment,

FIG. 9 is a view showing construction of Exif data relating to the firstembodiment,

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process for making an electronicalbum relating to the first embodiment,

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an image data acquiring routinerelating to the first embodiment,

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a link data generating routinerelating to the first embodiment,

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a storing operation routine relatingto the first embodiment,

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a playback operation in the playbackmode relating to the first embodiment,

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a playback operation in the actualtraveling mode relating to the first embodiment,

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing construction of a second embodiment,

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing input terminals relating to thesecond embodiment,

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a playback operation in the playbackmode relating to the second embodiment,

FIG. 19 is a circuit block diagram of a navigation system according to athird embodiment,

FIG. 20 is a view showing an operation menu relating to the thirdembodiment,

FIG. 21 is a view showing an image acquiring screen relating to thethird embodiment,

FIG. 22 is a view showing a link editing screen relating to the thirdembodiment,

FIG. 23 is a view showing a BGM setting screen relating to the thirdembodiment,

FIG. 24 is a view showing a selecting screen relating to the thirdembodiment,

FIG. 25 is a view showing display contents of an actual traveling moderelating to the third embodiment,

FIG. 26 is a flowchart of a correlating operation relating to the thirdembodiment,

FIG. 27 is a view showing a mode of storing images sorted in groupsrelating to the third embodiment,

FIG. 28 is a view showing construction of link data relating to thethird embodiment,

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a playback operation in the actualtraveling mode relating to the third embodiment,

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating a playback operation in a replaymode relating to the third embodiment,

FIG. 31 is a view showing display contents of a replay mode screenrelating to the third embodiment,

FIG. 32 is a view showing a selecting screen which is displayed n thestoring operation relating to the third embodiment,

FIG. 33 is a flowchart illustrating a storing operation relating to thethird embodiment,

FIG. 34 is a perspective view showing e.g. a digital camera associatedwith an image storage apparatus relating to a fourth embodiment,

FIG. 35 is a circuit block diagram of the image storage apparatusrelating to the fourth embodiment,

FIG. 36 is a flowchart illustrating a basic control scheme of the imageprocessing apparatus relating to the fourth embodiment,

FIG. 37 is a flowchart illustrating a navigation operation routinerelating to the fourth embodiment,

FIG. 38 is a flowchart illustrating an image data storing routinerelating to the fourth embodiment,

FIG. 39 is a flowchart illustrating a link data generating routinerelating to the fourth embodiment,

FIG. 40 is a flowchart illustrating a playback operation routinerelating to the fourth embodiment,

FIG. 41 is a view showing a navigation screen relating to the fourthembodiment,

FIG. 42 is a view showing an image selecting screen relating to thefourth embodiment,

FIG. 43 is a view showing a confirming screen relating to the fourthembodiment, and

FIG. 44 is a view showing a playback screen relating to the fourthembodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a navigation system relating to thepresent invention includes a system body B adapted for inputting signalsreceived by an antenna unit A from a GPS satellite and vehicle speedpulse signals from a vehicle speed sensor S incorporated in a travelingline of the vehicle, a display unit C (an example of “outputtingsection”) attached to a front face of the system body B, a processingunit D incorporated within the body B, and a drive unit E (an example of“media drive”: acting also as image data acquiring means and anoutputting section) provided separately from the system body B.

The system body B includes a plurality of switches 1, a loudspeaker 2for outputting audio information, an infrared sensor 4 for receivinginfrared signals from a remote controller 3 and an input/output terminal5 for accessing to photographic image data.

This navigation system is adapted to be attached to a console 102provided laterally of a gauge panel 101 disposed forwardly of a driver'sseat 100 in a cabin of a private automobile. in operation, during avehicle run, the system acquires in a realtime manner position data(longitude data and latitude data) relating to a present position of thevehicle based on the signals from the GPS satellite and the vehiclespeed pulse signal from the vehicle speed sensor S and causes thedisplay unit C to display map data (an example of map image dataindicative of the position of position data) corresponding to theposition data in a set enlargement scale and to display also the currentposition of the vehicle in the form of a vehicle symbol on the map data.

Further, this navigation system, in response to a designation of adestination system navigates the driver during the vehicle run bydisplaying, on the map, a route to be traveled to reach suchdestination. The above-described functions of this navigation system aresubstantially same of those of the conventional systems. The navigationsystem according to the present invention is characterized in that thissystem is capable of effecting an operation for storing a plurality ofphotographic image data on and in correlation with a traveled route ofthe vehicle and displaying such stored photographic image data on thedisplay unit C and an operation for storing an “electric album”including such photographic image data in a storage medium.

The display unit C includes a crystal liquid display section 6 fordisplaying necessary data such as map data, photographic image data,etc. and a touch panel section 7 for detecting a touch operation such asa finger touch operation. The plurality of switches 1 realize suchoperations as ON/OFF of the entire navigation system, switchover of thedisplay mode, etc. The remote controller 3 realizes necessary operationsfrom a position away from the system body B. The loudspeaker 2 is usedfor providing human voice navigation as well as playing music data to bedescribed later.

The drive unit E (an example of media drive and “image data acquiringmeans”) includes a semiconductor drive 8 for acquiring image data from asemiconductor medium Ms (an example of “storage medium”) such as a flashmemory storing therein photographic image data obtained by a digitalcamera 105 and a disc drive 9 for allowing acquisition and storage(writing) of data from a plurality of kinds of large-capacity disc typemedia Md (another example of “storage medium”) such as a CD-R, DVD-R.Incidentally, the semiconductor drive 8 includes a plurality ofinserting portions to cope with a plurality of types of semiconductormedia commercially available such as a Compact Flash (registeredtrademark), a Smart Media (registered trademark), a Memory Stick(registered trademark).

The input/output terminal 5 (another example of “image data acquiringmeans”) is used for acquiring photographic image data stored in thedigital camera 105 via a cable 106 designed under the SUB (UniversalSerial Bus) standard, IEEE1394 standard, etc. provided for connectionwith the digital camera 105. Incidentally, the scope of the presentinvention does not exclude the possibility of acquiring the photographicimage data of the digital camera 105 by a wireless technology. Hence,the image data acquiring means can utilize a wireless technology such asBluetooth for transmission and reception of the photographic image data.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an exemplary construction of thisnavigation system. As shown, the system body B includes an input/outputinterface 10 for realizing access of information to a microprocessor. Tothis input/output interface 10, there is provided a signal system forallowing data access from a position acquiring means L (an example ofGPS unit), the liquid crystal display section 6, the touch panel section7, the plurality of switches 1, the loudspeaker 2, the infrared sensor4, the input/output terminal 5, the semiconductor drive 8, the discdrive 9, the hard disc HD, respectively.

The position acquiring means L is operable to acquire an electromagneticwave received by the antenna unit A from a GPS satellite and also toacquire vehicle position data (longitude and latitude data) by inputtingthe vehicle speed pulse signals from the vehicle speed sensor S inrealtime as well as a time of acquisition of this position data astiming data. This position acquiring means L can be adapted foracquiring position information from radio waves form a plurality of wavetransmitting sources which are installed on the ground surface. Also, ifnecessary, by using a gyroscope for detecting a vehicle posture, anacceleration sensor for detecting acceleration of the vehicle or using aradio wave from a wave transmitting source on the ground in combination,the precision of the vehicle position information can be enhanced.

The hard disc HD operates to store the photographic image data andoperates also as a map database (an example of “image data storingsection”) for storing map data of predetermined areas as well as musicdatabase for storing the music data.

The processing unit D includes the following components connected to thedata bus from the microprocessor, i.e. a semiconductor memory RAM/ROM, anonvolatile memory EEPROM, a map matching means 11, a navigating means12, a route storing means 13, an image data storing means 14, a linkprocessing means 15, an output controlling means 16, and a storageprocessing means 17. Incidentally, in order to realize various controloperations in this processing unit D, in addition to the data bus,control buses, address busses, etc are also needed. However, in order toavoid complexity of the illustration, in the figure, such controlbusses, address busses, or interfaces, etc. are not illustrated.

The map matching means 11 is configured for extracting map datacorresponding to the position data acquired by the position acquiringmeans L from a map database stored in the hard disc HD and causing thedisplay unit C to display the data with a predetermined enlargementscale. The navigating means 12 is configured for extracting apredetermined route to a destination from the map data and causing thedisplay unit C to display the route in the form of a line on the mapdata and to display also necessary operations such as a right turn or aleft turn each point such as an intersection and causing also theloudspeaker 2 to output such necessary operation as a right turn or aleft turn in the form of human voice language.

The route storing means 13 is configured for writing the position dataacquired by the position acquiring means L at every set interval intothe hard disc HD or the semiconductor memory RAM at each timing of theacquisition of each position data, as a route actually traveled by thevehicle. Incidentally, when this route 110 stored by this route storingmeans 13 is displayed on the display unit C, this is done as indicatedby broken lines in FIG. 7. As shown, on this route 11, there is shown avehicle symbol 111 and on this route 110, there are also shownphotographic points P to be described later.

The image data storing means 14 is configured for storing thephotographic image data acquired via the semiconductor drive 8, the discdrive 9 or the input/output terminal 5 in the hard disc HD. In case aplurality of image data are to be stored via the input/output terminal 5into the hard disc HD, as shown in FIG. 5, the display unit C displays aselecting screen 20 for allowing input of photographic image data. Then,by selecting necessary images on this selecting screen 20, the selectedplurality of photographic image data will be stored (this function willhe detailed later).

The link processing means 15 includes a timing data acquiring sectionfor acquiring timing data for specifying the timing of the acquisitionof the position data by the position acquiring means L, a photographicdate data acquiring section for acquiring photographic date data fromExif data annexed to the photographic image data, and a link datagenerating section for generating link data from these data, i.e. thetiming data and the photographic date data. Incidentally, thesesections, i.e. the timing data acquiring section, the photographic datedata acquiring section and the link data generating section, will beused respectively when the photographic image data are complied into anelectric album as will be described later.

The Exif data is annexed to the photographic image data as a header forthe file constituting the photographic image data obtained by thedigital camera 105. FIG. 9 shows an exemplary construction of this data.Main information included in this Exif data stores therein the name ofthe manufacturer and the product name of the digital camera andauxiliary information also included therein stores not only data of anexposure time, an image width and height, but also an actualphotographic date in the unit of year, month, date, hour and minute. Sothat, the photographic date acquiring section of the link processingmeans 15 acquires the actual photographic data as the photographic datedata.

The output controlling means 16 is configured for causing the displayunit C to display photographic image data correlated with the positiondata.

The storage processing means 17 is configured for storing the date ofthe selected route 110, the plurality of photographic image datacorrelated with the plurality of position data (photographic points)present on that route 110 and map data corresponding to the route 110and configured for also storing music data, if any, correlatedtherewith, as an “electric album” in the storage medium such as the discmedium Md, etc. (mode of control of this operation will be describedlater). Then, the storage medium (e.g. DVD-R) storing the data as theelectronic album can be “played” (reproduced) on a personal computer forreproducing the map data, the photographic image date, etc.

Further, when the storage medium storing the data as the electronicalbum is played on the personal computer, as shown in FIG. 7, thedisplay unit displays the map data and the route 110. Further, on thisdisplay, there is effected display of a simulation of the vehicle symbol111 as running on the route 110. And, during this simulation, when thevehicle symbol 111 reaches each photographic point P, the photographicimage data correlated with that photographic point P (position data)will be shown on the display unit C.

Incidentally, the present invention is not limited to dataimplementation of such electronic album for automatic playback. Instead,as an alternative electronic album configuration, the system can simplystore the data of the route 110, the photographic image data, the mapdata or the like. Then, e.g. in response to a user's clicking on themouse of the personal computer or operation of a predetermined key onthe keyboard thereof, the photographic image data correlated to therespective photographic points on the route 110 may be displayedaccording to the order of photographic operations thereof.

Also, in this embodiment, it is contemplated that the map matching means11, the navigating means 12, the route storing means 13, the image datastoring means 14, the link processing means 15, the output controllingmeans 16, and the storage processing means 17 are realized in the formof software (programs) which can be stored in the semiconductor memoryRAM. Instead, some or all of these can be realized as hardware such as awired-logic.

With the navigation system of the invention, in response to an operationon the switch 1 or the remote controller 3, the display unit C displaysan operation menu 30 shown in FIG. 4. Thereafter, in response to auser's selective finger-touching operation on an album making button 31shown in this operation menu 30, a playback button 32 in a playback mode(simulation mode) or a playback button 33 in an actual traveling mode,the system can effect the selected operation as described next.

More particularly, if the user operates the album making button 31 onthis operation menu 30, an electric album will be created. In thissystem, however, prior to this operation of the album making button 31,the system has already automatically obtained the positions traveled bythe vehicle and acquired a plurality of photographic image data at theappropriate timing.

Namely, the navigation system of the invention executes a processillustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 10. That is, the position acquiringmeans L acquires the position data at the predetermined interval (step#01) and executes an image data acquiring routine for acquiringphotographic image data at any timing (step #100). This process will beeffected continuously until the operation for making an electronic albumis selected (step #02).

If the process for making the album is selected (i.e. when the albummaking button 31 is operated), the link processing means 15 generateslink data (step #200) and sets map data corresponding to position datacorrelated to the photographic image data via the link data and setsalso the title and the music data and then stores the electronic albummade in the hard disc HD. Further, if an operation for storing the datainto a medium is selected, the system executes an operation for storingthe electronic album in the disc medium Md (e.g. DVD-R) as the storagemedium (steps #03 through #05, step #300).

In the image data acquiring routine (step #100), the system executes anoperation illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 11. Namely, only when thestorage medium Md is set to the semiconductor drive 8, the display unitC will displays a selecting screen 20 shown in FIG. 5 (steps #101,#102).

This selecting screen 20 displays all the photographic image data storedin the storage medium in the form of thumbnail in an image displayingarea 21 and allows confirmation of all photographic image data by anoperation on a scroll bar 22. Further, of these photographic image datadisplayed in the image displaying area 21, if it is found that any ofthe data was stored already in the hard disc HD, information 23 such as“stored already” will be displayed. So that, the other photographicimage data than such pre-stored data will be automatically selected asdata to be stored (step #103).

Further, if the user finds any one of the automatically selected imagesas being of poor photographic quality or unneeded for the album, then,the user will e.g. touch his/her finger on such photographic image forits selection and then touch the finger on a selection canceling button24, thereby to cancel the selection. After this selective cancelingoperation, the user can select the same image again by operating theselecting switch 25, if desired.

Also, if the user operates a rotating button 26 after the designation ofthe photographic image data, the designated photographic image data canbe rotated by 90 degrees increment. After such selection, if the useroperates an OK button 27 (step #104), the selected photographic imagedata is stored in the hard disk HD (step #105). Incidentally, in thisembodiment, the operation for selecting the photographic image data isrealized by the touch panel section 7 of the display unit C. Instead.the system can include an interface for realizing the above operation bya user's operation on the switches 1 or on the remote controller 3.

Also, when an electronic album is to be made after the storage of theposition data and the photographic image data, the display unit Cdisplays the operation menu (screen) 30 and the user will operate thealbum making button 31 on the screen (YES at step #02).

After the above operation, the system executes the operation forgenerating the link data illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 12. Moreparticularly, the timing data acquiring section of the link processingmeans 15 extracts the timing data stored in the hard disc HD and thephotographic date acquiring section of the link processing means 15extracts the photographic date data from the Exif data annexed to eachphotographic image data.

Next, the link data generating section of the link processing means 15generates link data for correlating the plurality of timing data and theplurality of photographic date data which are in agreement with orsimilar to each other (steps #201, #202). The operation at this step#202 corresponds to the operation under the automatic link mode andafter the generation of link data described above, as shown in FIG. 6,the display unit C displays the route 110 (to be detailed later) anddisplays also the photographic point(s) P of the photographic image dataon that route 110 (step #203).

When the photographic points P are displayed in the manner describedabove, the user (operator) will judge presence/absence of error relativeto the actual photographic positions. Such error is attributable to atime difference which may be present between the timing data generatedby the position acquiring means L and a clock incorporated in thedigital camera 105. If such difference or error is present, then, theuser will effect an operation for correcting the photographic date data.With this, the photographic date data of all the photographic image dataobtained by the digital camera 105 will be corrected at one time (steps#204 through #206). And, link data will be generated again.

Upon generation of such link data, the system prompts the user toconfirm by displaying the photographic points P on the route 110. And,if the operator confirms the error has been corrected, then, thisprocess is completed. The operations at the steps #205 and #206correspond to the operations under the correcting link mode.

The operation at step #202 is realized by displaying a confirming screen40 on the display unit C as shown in FIG. 6. Namely, in this confirmingscreen, there are displayed the map data, the route 110 on the map data,the photographic points P as “link positions” and the photographic imagedata correlated with the photographic points P via the link data in thedisplaying area 41.

Under the above-described display condition, if the operator finds thatthe actual photographic point Px where that photographic image data wasobtained is offset by a distance X. Then, the operator will operates atime setting slider 42 also shown in the screen, so that thephotographic point P may be shifted on the route 110 to agree with theactual photographic point Px. And, also the photographic date data willbe shifted by a time period corresponding to the amount of this shiftingof the photographic point P and this shifted time will be displayed at ashifted time displaying section 43.

More particularly, the position data have been acquired at relativelyshort intervals (more than several times in a minute) and the timingdata have been acquired also together with the position data. Therefore,even if the correct photographic date has been set by shifting thephotographic date data, it is still possible to readily extract timingdata agreeing with or similar to that correct photographic date. And,also the correlation of the photographic image data with the correctphotographic date set therein with the position data having theextracted timing data can also be effected easily. As a result, it ispossible to display the photographic image data in correlation with theappropriate photographic point on the route 110.

Further, in the figure, the displaying area 41 is shown as a small areaon the map data. However, if desired, this displaying area 41 can beformed large to the limit of the screen and the map data can bedisplayed in the form of a window opened at a portion of such largedisplaying area 41. Namely, in the present invention, the displayingmodes and sizes of the map data and the photographic image data to bedisplayed on a screen can be freely set.

Also, if necessary, by operating a button 41F, 41R provided at a lowerportion of the displaying area 41, the image data can be switched so asto allow the user to confirm the photographic point P in a plurality ofphotographic image data. After this confirmation, by operating the OKbutton 44, the correction of the photographic date data of all thephotographic image data obtained by the digital camera 105 is completed.

Further, this navigation system is capable also of acquiring andprocessing photographic image data obtained by a plurality of digitalcameras 105. Namely, when the system has acquired photographic imagedata obtained by a plurality of digital cameras 105, the system effectsan operation for shifting photographic date extracted from Exif dataannexed to the photographic image data obtained by the respectivedigital cameras 105 for each camera 106, so that the photographic datedata for the photographic image data of any one of the digital cameras105 can be corrected at one time to generate high precision link data.

Incidentally, in the case of the operation illustrated in the flowchartof FIG. 12, in order to correct an error, the operator confirms thephotographic point P and the actual photographic point Px on the map.Instead, the system can be adapted for allowing the shifted time to beinputted manually. Incidentally, the link data has a simple dataconstruction in which the position data (latitude and longitude data)are recorded in correlation with the file number of the photographicimage data.

Next, though not shown, in the operation at step #03, the display unit Cdisplays a virtual “keyboard” for allowing a user's finger touchingoperation thereon, so that character information can be inputted forsetting a title and a list of titles of stored music information isdisplayed on the display unit C. If needed, after sample listening, theuser can select, from this list, a title of the music information byfinger touching operation to be set as the BGM (background music), sothat this selected music is set as the BGM.

Also, in the operation at step #04, in the hard disc HD, the positiondata, the photographic image data, the link data and the titles arestored and the music selected in the manner described above is alsostored in correlation with this electronic album.

The storing operation effected at step #300 is illustrated in theflowchart of FIG. 13. That is, in this storing operation, in the discmedium Md such as a DVD-R as the storage medium, there are stored thetitle, the plurality of position data (can be considered as route data),map data corresponding to the route data, the photographic image data,the link data and the music data as well as a playback (reproduction)program (steps #301 through #303).

After completion of the series of storing operations described above,the display unit C displays the operation menu 30. If the user operatesthe playback button 32 in the playback mode in this operation menu 30,as shown in FIG. 7, a playback screen 50 is displayed and also thesystem executes an operation illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 14.Upon initiation of this operation, the display unit C displays the titleand plays the music and displays also the map data. Further, with theposition data being revised and designated along the time base at theset interval, the vehicle symbol 11 will be displayed at a positioncorresponding to each revised position data on the route 110 (steps #401through #403).

As the vehicle symbol 111 is displayed at a position corresponding toeach position data revised at the predetermined interval on the route110, the vehicle symbol 111 is displayed as being moved along the route110 (simulated display).

Next, by comparing the position data with the link data, the systemdetermines presence/absence of correlated position data, if it is foundthat matching link data is present, then, the photographic image datacorrelated with that position data is displayed in the displaying area(steps #404 through #406).

In the display of the photographic image data described above, in manycases, a plurality of photographic data were obtained at a samephotographic point. In such case, the revision of the position data willbe suspended until completion of display of all the photographic imagedata correlated with that position data.

In the present embodiment, it is contemplated that the photographicpoints are displayed as dot-like symbols on the route 110. However, thesystem can eliminate display of such symbol or can display thephotographic image data in the form of thumbnail on the route 110.

Further, in the playback screen 50, there are shown a controlling button52 for realizing a playback operation, a forwarding operation, etc andan indicator 53 for indicating the playing condition on a time line. Forinstance, if the position data has been changed by a forwarding or“rewinding” operation or the operation on the indicator 53, the changedposition data will be set, then, the system will continuously effect theoperation for displaying the photographic image data until completion ofthis operation (steps #407, #408, #409). Incidentally, in this playbackscreen 50, there is also displayed a counter 54 displaying the totalnumber of the photographic image data and the current display unitthereof.

Further, if the user operates the playback button 33 in the actualtraveling mode in the operation menu 30, a playback screen 60 shown inFIG. 8 will be displayed and the operation illustrated in the flowchartof FIG. 15 will be effected.

Namely, the system effects an ordinary navigation operation wherein thedisplay unit C displays the map data corresponding to the position dataacquired by the position acquiring means L and displays also the vehiclesymbol 111 at a position corresponding to the position data (step #501).

During this navigation, the position data acquired by the positionacquiring means is compared with the link data. Then, if there existsmatching or similar link data, then, the system continuously effects theoperation for displaying the photographic image data correlated withthat link data in the displaying area 61 until its completion (steps#502 through #505).

In such operation as above also, it is contemplated that thephotographic point P is displayed as a dot-like symbol on the route 110.However, the system can eliminate display of such symbol or can displaythe photographic image data in the form of thumbnail on the route 110.

Further, if the data were stored in a DVD-R and complied as anelectronic album, then, when this DVD-R is set to a personal computer toeffect the playback program described above, then, exactly the sameplayback screen 50 as that in the above-described playback mode will bedisplayed on the display unit of the personal computer.

That is, by revising the position data at the predetermined interval,the vehicle symbol 111 will be displayed as being moving along the route110. Further, if there exists link data matching or similar to theposition data, the photographic image data correlated with that positiondata will be displayed in the displaying area 51. In the display of thephotographic image data described above, in many cases, a plurality ofphotographic data were obtained at a same photographic point. In suchcase, the revision of the position data will be suspended untilcompletion of display of all the photographic image data correlated withthat position data.

In the playback screen 50, there are shown the controlling button 52 forrealizing a playback operation, a forwarding operation, etc and theindicator 53 for indicating the playing condition on a time line. Forinstance, if the position data has been changed by a forwarding or“rewinding” operation or the operation on the indicator 53, the changedposition data will be set, then, the system will continuously effect theoperation for displaying the photographic image data until completion ofthis operation, and the user can grasp the number of displayedphotographic image data on the counter 54.

As described above, according to the present invention, whenphotographic image data obtained by a digital camera 105 is to stored incorrelation with position data acquired by e.g. a car navigation system,the system obtains the timing data of the acquisition of the positiondata and the photographic date data from the Exif data annexed to thephotographic image data and these data, i.e. the timing data and thephotographic data, are correlated with each other via the link data.With this, without the trouble of e.g. displaying the position data andthe photographic image data on a monitor screen and then effectingediting thereof under this condition, it is possible to correlate aplurality of photographic image data with a plurality of position dataat one time in a convenient manner.

Especially, photographic image data obtained by a standard digitalcamera 105 usually includes Exif data. If the position acquiring meansis the GPS type, time data is required for acquisition of position.Hence, it is readily possible to store such position data together withthe timing data. Then, the correlating operation can be effected in arelatively simple manner as an operation for comparing the respectivetime data and correlating matching or similar ones.

Further, it is usually assumed that the time of the clock incorporatedin the digital camera 105 can have a relatively large difference orerror relative to the actual time. In such case, since the photographicdate data extracted form the Exif data of the photographic image dataobtained by that digital camera 105 have a same amount of suchdifference or error in the photographic date(s) of all the photographicimage data, then, after correction of error in the photographic datedata of photographic image data to be correlated with one position data,the photographic date data of all the other photographic image dataobtained by that digital camera 105 will be shifted by the same amountas that error, whereby the photographic date data of all of thephotographic image data can be corrected also, thereby to allow highprecision correlation.

Second Embodiment

Aside from the foregoing embodiment, the present invention may beembodied also as described below (in the following discussion of thissecond embodiment, elements or components having same functions as thosein the foregoing embodiment will be denoted with the same referencenumerals or marks as employed in the foregoing embodiment)

As shown in FIG. 16, in e.g. a sightseeing bus having many passenger'sseats 81 inside a vehicle body 80, adjacent each seat 81, there areprovided a display unit E consisting of a liquid crystal display section82 and a touch panel section 83 as shown in FIG. 17 and an inputterminal F (an example of image data acquiring means) having asemiconductor drive 84. And, the respective input terminals F areconnected to a processing unit D via a communicating passage 85 forallowing data access to the respective input terminals F.

This processing unit D inputs position data from the position acquiringmeans L acquiring position data in realtime by reception of signals froma GPS satellite and causes the display unit C to display processinginformation and controls the disc drive 9. Incidentally, in thisembodiment, it is assumed that the operation via the display unit C ofthe processing unit D is carried out by a predetermined person such as asightseeing tour attendant.

In the input terminal F, when the semiconductor medium Ms storingtherein photographic image data obtained by a digital camera is set tothe semiconductor drive 84, like the operation described hereinbefore inthe first embodiment with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 11, thedisplay unit E displays a selecting screen for requesting selection ofdata to be stored. Then, photographic image data selected by an operator(passenger) is transmitted via the communicating path 85 to theprocessing unit D to be stored therein.

Further, in the processing unit D, when storing the photographic imagedata, the unit identifies the terminal F and specifies the digitalcamera based on the data of the name of the manufacturer of the camera,the type of the camera included in the Exif data annexed to thephotographic image data and the file number also annexed to thephotographic image data and then stores this photographic image dataobtained by that digital camera in an identifiable format and as sortedin a group.

In storing the photographic image data as described above, there iseffected the operation for correlating timing data indicative of thetiming of the acquisition of position data and the photographic datedata included in the Exif data which agree with or are similar to eachother, via link data. Also, in this second embodiment too, thecorrection of the photographic data for each group can be effected bythe operator's correction of the photographic date data or anattendant's confirmation of the contents of the photographic image data.

In this second embodiment, the construction of the processing unit D isbasically same as that described in the foregoing embodiment. and, thebasic mode of the operation for making an electronic album is also sameas the operation described hereinbefore in the first embodiment withreference to the flowchart of FIG. 13. In this second embodiment, it iscontemplated that at the end of the tour (sightseeing tour), the dataare stored in a storage medium such as a DVD-R and complied into anelectronic album to be given to each passenger (tourist). This secondembodiment slightly differs from the first embodiment in the mode of theplayback in the playback program when the storage medium storing theelectronic album therein is set to the personal computer for playback(i.e. reproduction).

Namely, as illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 18, upon initiation ofthe operation, the display unit displays a playback screen 50 shown inFIG. 7, showing the title therein and also music is played. Further, theselecting screen is displayed for displaying a portion of thephotographic image data obtained by each digital camera, thus requestingselection by the user (steps #601, #602). This operation for requestingselection is for prompting the user to select an operation fordisplaying only a group of photographic image data obtained by this useror an operation for displaying all photographic image data (all groups).

After setting of the group described above, the display unit displaysmap data and the position data is revised by the predetermined interval,whereby the vehicle symbol 111 will be displayed at a positioncorresponding to each revised position data (steps #603, #604). As thevehicle symbol 111 is displayed at a position corresponding to eachposition data revised by the predetermined interval, this vehicle symbol111 is displayed as being moving along the route 110.

Next, by comparing the position data and the link data, presence/absenceof correlated position data is determined. If it is found that matchinglink data exists, then, the system effects the operation for displayingthe photographic image data correlated with that position data in thedisplaying area 51 (steps #605 through #607).

In the display of the photographic image data described above, in manycases, a plurality of photographic data were obtained at a samephotographic point. In such case, the revision of the position data willbe suspended until completion of display of all the photographic imagedata correlated with that position data. In the present embodiment, itis contemplated that the photographic points are displayed as dot-likesymbols on the route 110. However, the system can eliminate display ofsuch symbol or can display the photographic image data in the form ofthumbnail on the route 110.

Further, in the playback screen 50, there are shown the controllingbutton 52 for realizing a playing operation, a forwarding operation, etcand the indicator 53 for indicating the playback condition on a timeline. For instance, if the position data has been changed by aforwarding or “rewinding” operation or the operation on the indicator53, the changed position data will be set, then, the system willcontinuously effect the operation for displaying the photographic imagedata until completion of this operation (steps #608, #609, #610).Incidentally, in this playback screen 50, there is also displayed thecounter 54 displaying the total number of the photographic image dataand the current display unit thereof.

In this second embodiment, even when many passengers using differentdigital cameras 105 took landscape photos and/or snap photos at a samesightseeing spot as is the case with a sightseeing bus group tour, it ispossible to store the photographic image data obtained at a same timewith automatic correlation with the same photographic point (positiondata). Therefore, if such photographic image data correlated with themap data are stored in a storage medium such as a DVD-R and given toeach passenger, the passenger (tourist) can play it later on a personalcomputer in his/her home and enjoy the electronic album. In doing this,the user can enjoy the photographic image data obtained by a pluralityof passengers or enjoy selectively only the photographic image dataobtained by a certain person (passenger).

Other Embodiments Relating to First and Second Embodiments

The present invention may be embodied alternatively as follows.

(a) If a user took photos with a digital camera when re-visiting aphotographic point P once visited before, the processing mode of thesystem can be adapted such that the photographic image data are storedas addition to the previously set photographic point or the photographicimage data obtained previously are stored as addition to thephotographic point P on the route of the re-visiting occasion. When suchoperation mode is to be effected, this can be realized only by changingthe mode of operation effected by the link processing means 15 for datacorrelation. When the photographic image data is reproduced, this can bedone such that the user can enjoy the previous photographic image dataand the new photographic image data in combination.

(b) In the foregoing embodiments, when the display unit C displays thephotographic image data, the image data are displayed with the map dataas the background. Instead, the display unit C may display thephotographic image data on the entire screen thereof, with displayingthe map data at a portion of this photographic image data.

(c) The map data used in playing back the electronic album is notlimited to the data of details of the area or the schematic data such asa simple illustration or sightseeing map, but can also be data showingthe route traveled by the vehicle as a simple figure such as an S-shapedroute. Further, when the map data comprise simple schematic route datashowing only those roads corresponding to the route, such route need notnecessarily match perfectly the route actually traveled by the vehicle.Such data can be just enough to allow the user to recognize the routetraveled by the vehicle as a whole. Especially, when the position dataconstituting this route is to be correlated with the image data, nostrict or exact correlation between the photographic point and theposition data is needed.

Third Embodiment

The present invention may be embodied alternatively by utilizing thehardware described in the first embodiment and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Namely, the navigation system can be constructed as shown in FIG. 19.

In this system, the system body B includes an input/output interface 10for realizing access of information to a microprocessor. To thisinput/output interface 10, there is provided a signal system forallowing data access from a position acquiring means L, the liquidcrystal display section 6, the touch panel section 7, the plurality ofswitches 1, the loudspeaker 2, the infrared sensor 4, the input/outputterminal 5, the semiconductor drive 8, the disc drive 9, the hard discHD, respectively.

The position acquiring means L is operable to acquire an electromagneticwave received by the antenna unit A from a GPS satellite and also toacquire vehicle position data (longitude and latitude data) by inputtingthe vehicle speed pulse signals from the vehicle speed sensor S inrealtime.

The hard disc HD acts as first storing means for storing thephotographic image data in a group for each destination and acts also asa second storing means for storing route data. These storage processingmeans i.e. the first storing means and the second storing means need notbe independent hardware structures, but can also be e.g. different filesstored in the hard disc HD or can be realized as semiconductor memory.

Moreover, this hard disc HD acts as a map database as a map storingsection for storing map data and as a music database for storing musicdata. The destination can be set after the vehicle has traveled, ratherthan before the vehicle starts traveling.

The processing unit D includes the following components connected to thedata bus from the microprocessor, i.e. a semiconductor memory RAM/ROM, anonvolatile memory EEPROM, a map matching means 11, a navigating means12, an image storing means 213, a route storing means 214, a link datagenerating means 215, an outputting means 216 and a storage processingmeans 217. Incidentally, in order to realize various control operationsin this processing unit D, in addition to the data bus, control buses,address busses, etc are also needed. In order to avoid complexity of theillustration, in the figure, such control busses, address busses, orinterfaces, etc. are not illustrated.

The map matching means 11 is configured for extracting map datacorresponding to the position data acquired by the position acquiringmeans L from a map database stored in the hard disc HD and causing thedisplay unit C to display the data with a predetermined enlargementscale. The navigating means 12 is configured for extracting apredetermined route to a destination from the map data and causing thedisplay unit C to display the route in the form of a line on the mapdata and display also necessary operations such as a right turn or aleft turn each point such as an intersection and causing also theloudspeaker 2 to output such necessary operation as a right turn or aleft turn in the form of human voice language.

The image storing means 213 is configured for storing the image dataacquired via the semiconductor drive 8, the disc drive 9 or theinput/output terminal 5 to the hard disc HD (an example of “firststoring means”). When this image storing means 213 stores a plurality ofimage data in the hard disc HD, as shown in FIG. 21, the display unit Cdisplays a screen for allowing input of the image data and as a usercarries out an operation following the display of this screen, theplurality of image data will be sorted in groups for respectivedestination and stored in independent files (this storing operation willbe detailed later).

The route storing means 214 stores route data R (see FIGS. 25 and 31)corresponding to the route traveled by the vehicle in the hard disc HD(an example of “second storing means”). In this embodiment, it iscontemplated that this route data R has a data construction storing dataindicative of the coordinates of the vehicle at respective samplingtimings. Instead, the data can have a different construction wherein aplurality of coordinates as reference points and traveling direction andtraveling speed of the vehicle set for each coordinate are provided inthe form of vector data. Further, when this route data R stored by thisroute storing means 214 is displayed on the display unit C, this is doneas indicated by broken lines in FIG. 25 and FIG. 31. As shown, on thisroute 11, there is shown the vehicle symbol V and on this route data R,there is also shown a destination P (generic concept of a plurality ofdestinations P1, P2, P3 . . . )

The link data generating means 215 effects correlation of image datawith each destination P set on the route data R while a link editingscreen 33 shown in FIG. 22 is being displayed on the display unit C andthe stores the generated link data in the form of a file, so that theimage data may be displayed according to the order of their storage. Theoutputting means 216 displays, on the display unit C, the image datacorrelated with the route data R, as will be detailed later.

Further, the storage processing means 217 is configured for storing, ina storage medium such as the disc medium Md., the selected route data R,a plurality of image data correlated with that route data R, and a mapdata corresponding to the route data, correlated music data if any andan outputting means 216 constructed as a program (mode of control ofthis operation will be described later).

In this embodiment, it is contemplated that the map matching means 11,the navigating means 12, the image storing means 213, the route storingmeans 214, the link data generating means 215 and the outputting means216 are all realized in the form of software (programs) which can bestored in the semiconductor memory RAM. Instead, some or all of thesecan be realized as hardware such as a wired-logic.

The route storing means 214 is configured to constantly store the routedata R of the route traveled by the vehicle. For instance, if it isdesired to correlate e.g. snap photos obtained by a digital camera Camwith the route after a trip, when the user returns home after the trip,the display unit C displays an operation menu 220 shown in FIG. 20,then, the user operates an “image acquisition” button 221. Incidentally,this operation menu 220 displays, in addition to the “image acquisition”button 221, a “playback operation (actual traveling mode)” button 222, a“playback operation (replay mode)” button 223, a “medium storage” button224, and an “OK” button 225.

If the user operates the “image acquisition” button 221 and thenoperates the “OK” button 225, first, the correlation illustrated in theflowchart of FIG. 26 is executed.

In this correlating operation, the plurality of image data acquired viae.g. the semiconductor drive 8 are displayed in an image acquiringscreen 227 (step #601).

In this image acquiring screen 227, all the acquired image data aredisplayed in an image displaying area 227A in the thumbnail format. And,by operating a scroll bar 227, the user can confirm all the image data.Also, by selecting image data being displaced and then operating a“deletion” button 228, any unnecessary image data in the acquired imagedata can be deleted.

If the “rotation” button 229 is operated, the image data is rotated by90 degrees. After selection of image data, if the “group change” button230 is operated, the image data is included in a desired group (step#602). Incidentally, when image data is selected on this image acquiringscreen 227, the user effects such operation as touching his/her fingerto the portion of the image data displayed on the display unit C foracquiring the position or moving the cursor by means of the remotecontroller 3.

The route storing means 214 is configured to constantly store the routedata R of the route traveled by the vehicle. Also, by operating the“image data acquisition” button 221, the timing of storing image datacan be set during traveling of the vehicle. Alternatively, this settingmay be effected after the vehicle returns home. Incidentally, in thistype of operation for constantly storing the route data traveled by thevehicle, it is necessary to delete unnecessary route data when the routedata has been stored in an amount near the capacity of the storage area.Hence, the operation mode may be set so that route data stored in oldstorage area or seeming unnecessary route data are automaticallyextracted and displayed on the display unit C for requesting decision ofits deletion or not.

The image data to be displayed in the image displaying area 227A aredisplayed according to the order of their photographic operations by thedigital camera Cam. Therefore, when the image data are sorted intogroups, this can be done conveniently by simply sorting the image datadisplayed in this image displaying area 227A one after another. Uponcompletion of this grouping operation, by operating the “next” button231, the process moves on to the next operation.

In the next operation, the display unit C displays an link editingscreen 233 shown in FIG. 5 (step #603), In this link editing screen 233,the route data R traveled by the vehicle symbol V is displayed togetherwith the map data in the map data displaying area 233A. At a lowerportion of this map displaying area 233A, there is displayed a time linecontrol bar 233B for reproducing the vehicle run. Also, in a groupdisplaying area 233C, an image data representative of the plurality ofimage data sorted in a group is displayed. Further, in the mapdisplaying area 233A, there are displayed a “designation” button 234, a“cancellation” button 235 for canceling designation, a “return” button236 and a “next” button 237.

When this link editing screen 233 is displayed, the operator sets adesired position of the route data R as a destination P and designates agroup to be correlated with this destination P (step #104). Thisoperation can be conveniently done as an operation using the touch panelsection 7 of the display unit C. Instead, however, the remote controllercan be used. After this correlation, by operating the “next” button 237,the process moves on to the next operation.

In the next operation, the display unit C displays a BGM set screen 240shown in FIG. 23. Then, if the operator decides it is needed, theoperator will operate a “YES” button 241. Whereas, if the operatordecides it is not needed, the operator operates a “NO” button 242.

When the “YES” button 241 is operated, music tiles stored in the musicdatabase are list-displayed in a music title displaying section 243. Forsample listening, by operating a “sample listening” button 244, a musicpiece can be sample-listened on the loudspeaker 2. After selection ofthe music, if the “OK” button 245 is operated, this music data is set asBGM for one route data and then the process moves on to the nextoperation (step #605). Incidentally, for the setting of the music data,the system may be adapted such that different music is set for eachgroup.

In the next operation, the display unit C displays a title inputtingscreen (not shown). Then inputting necessary characters forming thetitle with using a keyboard displayed on this title inputting screen,the operation is completed (step #606).

FIG. 27 shows an exemplary mode of storage of the image data aftercompletion of the correlating operation described above. In thisexample, for a folder F1 provided with a title, there are provided aplurality of folders F2 (e.g. shown at G1, G2, G3 . . . in the figure)provided with ID information of the group G. Further, the link datagenerating means 215 generates link data as shown in FIG. 28. In thislink data, within an area which can be specified by the title, a codenumber for specifying music data and a group of information indicativeof the relationship between the group G and the destination P are storedin the text format, CSV format, etc.

After the sorting of the plurality of image data in groups andcorrelating each group with the destination P set on the route data R inthe manners described above, the system can selectively provide anactual traveling mode display for displaying the image data on thedisplay unit C during an actual traveling of the vehicle or a replaymode display for displaying image data, when desired, on the displayunit C while the vehicle is kept still (i.e. stopped).

That is, as shown in FIG. 20, the display unit C displays the operationmenu 220. Then, if a “playback operation (actual traveling mode)” button222 in the menu 220 is operated, there will be displayed a selectingscreen 247 shown in FIG. 24, so that the user can select one to bereproduced from the titles displayed in a list in the displaying section248 of the selecting screen 247 and by operating the “OK” button 249,route data R corresponding to that title is designated as shown in theflowchart of FIG. 29 (step #701).

After this designation of route data R, the display unit C displays theactual traveling mode screen shown in FIG. 26. In this, the route data Ris displayed on the map data. In the other respects, the displaycontents of the display unit C are same as the standard contents showingthe position of the vehicle symbol V (step #702).

Thereafter, when the vehicle symbol V approaches the destination P onthe route data R as the result of traveling of the vehicle, a window Wis opened or “popped up” in superposition with a portion of the area ofthe map data, so that the plurality of image data correlated with thatdestination P will be displayed according to the predetermined order andat set interval and if there exists music data correlated therewith,this music data will be played (steps #703 through #705).

And, this operation can be canceled by the operator's operating anyswitch or the like (step #706).

Further, if the “playback operation (replay mode)” button 23 in theoperation menu 220 displayed on the display unit C is operated, like thecase described above, there is displayed the selecting screen 247 shownin FIG. 24, so that the user can select one to be reproduced from thetitles displayed in a list in the displaying section 248 of theselecting screen 247 and by operating the “OK” button 49, route data Rcorresponding to that title is designated as shown in the flowchart ofFIG. 30 (step #801). And, the display unit C displays the replay modescreen shown in FIG. 31.

In this replay screen, there are shown a time line bar 251 and aplurality of playback controlling buttons 252. Then, by operating one ofthe playback controlling switches 252 or the time line bar 251, themovement of the vehicle symbol V on the route data R will be displayedin time shortened manner (quickened in simulation) and when the vehiclesymbol V reaches the destination P, a window W is popped up insuperposition with a portion of the area of the map data, so that theplurality of image data correlated with that destination P will bedisplayed according to the predetermined order (steps #802 through#804). And, this operation can be canceled by the operator's operatingany switch or the like (step #805).

That is to say, when the actual traveling mode is selected, when thevehicle approaches the destination P set on the route data R, the imagedata correlated with that destination P are displayed on the monitorunit C, so that the driver and/or passengers can enjoy the image dataobtained at the previously visited destination P.

In this case, the vehicle need not travel on the route data R. Rather,the plurality of image data can be automatically displayed each time thevehicle approaches the destination P. Further, when the replay mode isselected, while the vehicle is not traveling, i.e. parked or stopped,the route data P will be displayed for the map data displayed on thedisplay unit C and the vehicle symbol V will be displayed as movingalong the route R. Then, when the vehicle symbol V approaches thedestination P, the plurality of image data can be automaticallydisplayed. Hence, it is possible to display e.g. photographic dataobtained during a trip for each destination.

According to the navigation system of the invention, by correlating thedestination P set to the route data R stored in the manner describedabove with the image data sorted in a group, the automatic display ofplurality of image data is made possible. Further, this system has alsothe function of storing such data in the disc medium Md (an example of“storage medium”) such as a DVD-R, CD-R or the like as data executableon a personal general-purpose computer for enabling the replay modedisplay described above.

That is, if the “medium storage” button 224 in the operation menu 220 isoperated, the operation by the storage processing means 217 is executed.

Namely, with the above, there is displayed a selecting screen 255 shownin FIG. 32, so that the user can select one to be reproduced from thetitles displayed in a list in the displaying section 256 of theselecting screen 255 and by operating an “OK” button 257, route data Rcorresponding to that title is designated as shown in the flowchart ofFIG. 33 (step #901).

Next, the system obtains the designated route data R and extracts imagedata and music data correlated with this route data R and map datacorresponding thereto and executes an operation for storing these dataand an outputting program constituting the outputting means 216 into thedisc medium Md (steps #902, #903).

In this way, when the disc medium Md storing the necessary data thereinis set to the personal computer, the above-described replay screen willbe displayed on the display unit C. Then, by effecting the sameoperations as described above, the plurality of image data can bedisplayed for each destination as a simulation on the computer.

As described hereinbefore, according to the present invention, thesystem employs the hardware for acquiring image data as addition to theconventional navigation system and utilizes the storage means (the imagestoring means 213) such as the hard disc HD and includes the routestoring means 214, the link data generating means 215, the outputtingmeans 216, the storage processing means 217 which can be realized assoftware.

With the above-described construction, it is possible to sort the imagedata obtained by a digital camera Cam in a group and to correlate aplurality of image data sorted in a group for each destination P set onthe route data of the route traveled by the vehicle. Then, after thiscorrelation, if the actual traveling mode is selected, when thetraveling vehicle approaches the previously visited destination P, theplurality of image data can be displayed automatically on the displayunit C of the system, thereby to provide the user with vivid recallingof the previous visit. Also, when the replay mode is selected, while thevehicle is not traveling, the plurality of image data correlated on theroute data R can be displayed at desired timing on the display unit C,so that the user can enjoy the image data just like enjoying a photoalbum.

In particular, if the storage processing means 217 has stored the routedata R, the image data and the outputting means 216 as the outputtingprogram for playing back these data, in e.g. the disc medium Md, by justsetting this medium Md to a standard personal computer, the plurality ofimage data set on the route data R can be displayed as desired whileconfirming the traveling of the vehicle on the map data in the routedata R, so that the user can enjoy the image data as a so-calledelectronic album.

Other Embodiments Relating to the Third Embodiment

The third embodiment described above can be modified as follows.

(a) If a user took photos with a digital camera Cam when re-visiting adestination P once visited before, the processing mode of the system canbe adapted such that the photographic image data are stored as additionto the previously set destination or the photographic image dataobtained previously are stored as addition to the destination P on theroute of the re-visiting occasion. When such operation mode is to beeffected, this can be realized only by changing the mode of operationeffected by the link generating means 15 for data correlation. When thephotographic image data is to be reproduced, this can be done such thatthe user can enjoy the previous photographic image data and the newphotographic image data in combination.

(b) In the foregoing embodiment, when the display unit C displays thephotographic image data, the image data are displayed with the map dataas the background. Instead, by changing the output mode of theoutputting means 216, the display unit C can display the photographicimage data on the entire screen thereof. With employment of such displaymode, the user can readily enjoy the large image data.

(c) In the third embodiment, the system adopts the method wherein theimage data are stored in correlation with each group corresponding tothe destination displayed in the link editing screen. The invention isnot limited thereto. Instead, needless to say, the image data can becorrelated with using a registered sightseeing place name or asightseeing map as an index of the group, so that a plurality of imagedata can be extracted in response to a designation of a sightseeingplace on the map of the car navigation. Further, the system can beconfigured also such that even when no sightseeing place name orsightseeing map is present on the route, by designating any desiredposition on the mute by the keyboard, this freely designated positionmay be stored as an index.

(d) In the third embodiment, the position acquiring means employssignals from a GPS satellite. Instead, like the position acquiringmethod realized in e.g. the PHS type mobile phone, this positionacquiring means can be configured for receiving radio waves from aplurality of wave transmitting stations disposed on the ground surfaceand acquiring the position of the vehicle using these transmittingstations as reference.

(e) In the third embodiment, the navigation system can be a voicenavigation system for navigating with a human voice alone, not using anyvisual display. And, in such modified system not using display, it iscontemplated that the route is designated with a voice. In particular,even in the case of such system not using any visual display fornavigation, a display unit will be still needed for displaying imagedata. Further, when route data is to be extracted for correlation of theimage data after traveling of the vehicle, the route data can beextracted from the second storing means in response to an input of thedate (time) of the travel.

(f) In the third embodiment, as route data not traveled by the vehicle,it is possible to freely generate route data in the form of a straightline connecting to the destination by the shortest distance orcombination of straight lines and curved lines. Then, a destination isset for such route data and image data are correlated with thatdestination. Thereafter, a simulation is effected in the manner thatvehicle symbol is caused to travel on the route data, so that the imagedata included in the group of the destination reached by the vehicle maybe displayed on the display unit.

In particular, the destination can be any freely chosen location. And,in case the route data are generated and a destination is set in theabove manners, there can be realized a simple display mode wherein onlythe route data is displayed on the display unit without the map databeing displayed and each time the vehicle symbol shown on the route datareaches the destination, the image data included in the group of thatdestination are displayed.

Fourth Embodiment

The fourth embodiment relates to an image storing apparatus as anotherexample of the image processing apparatus.

This image storing apparatus has a construction shown in FIG. 34.Namely, a portable-sized apparatus body 301 includes, on the front facethereof, a plurality of operation switches 302 and a liquid crystaldisplay section 303 (an example of displaying section). Further, theapparatus body 301 accommodates therein an antenna section 304 forreceiving radio wave from a GPS satellite, a position acquiring means305 comprising a GPS unit for acquiring position data from the wavesreceived by the antenna section 304, a semiconductor drive 306 acting asan image data acquiring section for acquiring image data stored in asemiconductor medium Ms, and a processing unit D for processing data.Also, on the outer face of the apparatus body 301, there is provided anoutput terminal 307 acting as an outputting section for outputting data.

This image storing apparatus has the function of displaying, on theliquid crystal display section 303, map data corresponding to theposition data acquired by the position acquiring means 305 anddisplaying at the same time the current position of this apparatus onthe map data.

Further, with this image storing apparatus, the position acquiring means305 continuously acquires the position data. When the semiconductormedium Ms such as a flash memory, storing image data obtained by adigital camera 321 is set to the semiconductor memory 306, the apparatusautomatically acquires the image data stored in that storage medium Msand correlates these image data with the position data. Then, inresponse to a predetermined operation, the liquid crystal displaysection 303 displays map data, a route traveled by the apparatus on thatmap data and displays also image data for each photographic point on theroute.

Moreover, with this image storing apparatus, by connecting the outputterminal 307 with an input terminal (not shown) of a personal computer331 via a cable 325 designed under the USP (Universal Serial Bus) orIEEE1394 standard and then effecting predetermined operations, theposition data, the image data, link data, the map data and a simulationprogram can be transferred from the output terminal 307 to the personalcomputer 331.

Incidentally, when image data obtained by the digital camera 321 are tobe stored in this image storing apparatus, instead of using thesemiconductor medium Ms described above, the image data can betransferred by connection using the cable designed under the USB orIEEE1384 standard or using the wireless communication technique such asBluetooth (wireless communication technique proposed by corporationssuch as IBM, Intel, Nokia, Toshiba Corp.) And, when these techniques areemployed, the means used by such techniques for image data transfer willconstitute the “image data acquiring means” of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 34, the personal computer 331 has a conventional systemconstruction, including a body having a keyboard 332, a track pad 333and a disc drive 334, and a liquid crystal display unit 335.

Further, when the position data, the image data, the link data, the mapdata and the simulation program are transferred to this personalcomputer 331 as described above, the computer executes a simulationprogram, so that the display unit 335 of the personal computer 331displays the map data and also a route moved by this image storingapparatus in superposition on this map data. Further, in this display, asimulated image of apparatus will be shown as moving thereon. And, eachtime this apparatus symbol reaches a photographic point, the image dataobtained at that photographic point will be displayed automatically.Also, if needed, a user can designate image data shown on the displayunit 335 and causes a printer 341 to print the image on a print paper42. Further, the apparatus can store the position data, the image data,the link data, the map data and the simulation program in the storagemedium Md such as a DVD-R set to the disc drive 334.

FIG. 35 is a block diagram showing an exemplary construction of thisimage storing apparatus. As shown, the processing unit D includes aninput/output interface 10 for realizing access of information to amicroprocessor (CPU). To this input/output interface 10, there isprovided a signal system for allowing data access from positionacquiring means 305, the liquid crystal display section 303, theoperation switches 302, the semiconductor drive 303, the output terminal307 and a hard disc HD (an example of “data storing section”, “map datastoring section”), respectively.

The processing unit D includes the following components connected to thedata bus from the microprocessor, i.e. a semiconductor memory RAM/ROM, anonvolatile memory EEPROM, a map matching means 11, a navigating means12, a route storing means 314, an image data storing means 315, a linkprocessing means 316, and a transfer controlling means 317.

Incidentally, in order to realize various control operations in thisprocessing unit D, in addition to the data bus, control buses, addressbusses, etc are also needed. In order to avoid complexity of theillustration, in the figure, such control busses, address busses, orinterfaces, etc. are not illustrated.

The position acquiring means 305 is operable to acquire anelectromagnetic wave received by the antenna section 304 from a GPSsatellite and also to acquire image storing apparatus position data(longitude and latitude data) by inputting the signals from the GPSsatellite in realtime, as well as a time of acquisition of this positiondata timing data. This position acquiring means 305 can acquire positioninformation from radio waves form a plurality of wave transmittingsources on the ground. By using a radio wave from a wave transmittingsource on the ground in combination, the precision of the positioninformation can be enhanced.

The hard disc HD operates to store the plurality of position dataacquired by the position acquiring means 305 in a folder for positiondata, stores map data in a plurality of enlargement scales in a folderfor map data, stores a plurality of image data in folders for imagedata, and stores a plurality of link data in folders for link data.Incidentally, the folder for map data is used for storing preset mapdata and is used as a database.

The map matching means 11 is configured for extracting map datacorresponding to the position data acquired by the position acquiringmeans 305 from the hard disc HD and then causing the liquid crystaldisplay section 303 to display the map data of a predeterminedenlargement scale of the extracted map data. Further, on this map data,as shown in FIG. 41, the present position of the image storing apparatusis displayed in the faun of a symbol 351 and the route 352 traveled bythis symbol 351 is also displayed on the map.

As shown in the same figure, the navigating means 12 is configured forproviding the position data acquired continuously at the predeterminedinterval by the position acquiring means 305 to the map matching means11 in the form of data interconnected like a line and also for storingthis route data in the hard disc HD.

The image data storing means 315 is provided for effecting an operationof storing image data acquired via the semiconductor drive 306 in thehard disc HD. After a plurality of image data are stored in the harddisc HD, an image selecting screen shown in FIG. 42 is displayed on theliquid crystal display section 303. And, from a list of image data shownin this screen, an operator can select one for its deletion.

The link processing means 316 automatically generates link data forcomparing timing data for specifying the timing of the acquisition ofthe position data with photographic date data from Exif data annexed tothe photographic image data and correlating the former with the latterwhich agree with or are similar to each other.

The Exif data is annexed to the photographic image data obtained by thedigital camera 21. FIG. 9 shows an exemplary construction of this data.Main information included in this Exif data stores therein the name ofthe manufacturer and the product name of the digital camera andauxiliary information also included therein stores not only data of anexposure time, an image width and height, but also an actualphotographic date in the unit of year, month, date, hour and minute. Sothat, the link processing means 316 acquires the actual photographicdata as the photographic date data and acquires the timing data storedin the hard disc HD together with the position data and then effects thecomparing operation described above.

The transfer controlling means 317 is configured for transferring theposition data, the image data, the link data, the map data correspondingto the position data and the simulation program to the personal computer331.

Also, in the image storing apparatus of this embodiment, it iscontemplated that the map matching means 11, the navigating means 12,the route storing means 314, the image data storing means 315, the linkprocessing means 316 and the transfer controlling means 317 are realizedin the form of software (programs) which can be stored in thesemiconductor memory RAM. Instead, some or all of these can be realizedas hardware such as a wired-logic.

The control scheme of the processing unit D can be as illustrated in theflowchart of FIG. 36. That is, the position acquiring means 5 acquiresthe position data at the predetermined interval and executes an imagedata acquiring routine for acquiring photographic image data at anytiming and effects a navigation operation (steps #1001, #1100). Theoperation at step #1001 corresponds to the position data storingoperation of the processing unit D.

Next, when it is found that the storage medium Ms is set to thesemiconductor drive 306 (YES at step #1002), the apparatus reads out theimage data stored in that storage medium Ms and effects a storingoperation for storing new image data in the hard disc HD (step #1200).Further, the apparatus effects a link data generating operation forstoring the newly stored image data and the position data in correlationwith each other (step #1300).

Further, if a playback operation is selected by an operation on anoperation switch 302 of the image storing apparatus (YES at step #1003),the apparatus effects a playback operation for displaying the storedimage data on the liquid crystal display section 303 (step #1400).

Also, if a transferring operation is selected by an operation on theoperation switch 302 of the image storing apparatus (YES at step #1004),the apparatus effects a transferring operation for storing the datastored in the hard disc HD to the personal computer 31 through theoutput terminal 7 (step #1005, the “outputting operation”). And, theseoperations will be continued until being reset (step #1006).

The navigating operation (step #1100), the image data storing operation(step #1200), the link data generating operation (step #1300) and theplayback operation (step #1400) are set respectively in the form ofsubroutines. The modes of these operations will be described next.

In the navigating routine (step #1100), as illustrated by the flowchartof FIG. 37, the position data (latitude data and longitude data) fromthe position acquiring means 305 are continuously acquired by thepredetermined interval (the position data acquiring operation) and thesedata are stored, together with the acquired timing data (data indicativeof time or date), in the hard disc HD (step #1101). This operation foracquiring and storing a plurality of position data is the operation bythe route storing means 314.

Also, when the position data have been acquired from the positionacquiring means 305, these position data are given to the map matchingmeans 11 and this map matching means 11 extracts, from the hard disc HD,map data corresponding to the position data. And, as shown in FIG. 41,in the navigation screen displayed on the liquid crystal display section303, the map data is displayed and on this map data, a point of thepresence of the position data (i.e. the current position of the imagestoring apparatus) is displayed as a symbol (icon) 351 of this imagestoring apparatus and the traveled route 352 (i.e. the route along whichthe symbol 351 has moved) is displayed on this map data (step #1102).

Next, if a destination 353 has been set, as shown in FIG. 41, theposition data (latitude data and longitude data) of this destination 353is given to the navigating means 12, then, the navigating means 12displays this destination 353 with the symbol 351 if this can bedisplayed in the map data being displayed on the liquid crystal displaysection 303 and also the apparatus extracts a route from the symbol 351indicating the current position of the image storing apparatus to thedestination 353 and displays such route 354 on the map data (steps#1103, #1104).

In the image data storing routine (step #1200), as illustrated by theflowchart of FIG. 38, when the storage medium Ms has been set to thesemiconductor drive 306, the file names of the image data stored alreadyin the hard disc HD and the file name of the storage medium Ms arecompared and only such image data not yet stored in the hard disc HDwill be extracted and then stored in the hard disc HD.

In case new image data has been stored as described above, as shown inFIG. 41, an image selecting screen is displayed on the liquid crystaldisplay section 303 and the newly stored image data are displayed withpriority in the form of thumbnail images in the displaying area 360(steps #1201, #1202). Of these image data displayed in the displayingarea 360 of this selecting screen, the operator can select any imagedata which is judged as unnecessary by operating the operation switch302. Then, with an operation of an operation button 361 in the screen,the selected image data will be set as data to be deleted. Further,after this setting, by operating the OK button 362 in the screen byoperating the operation switch 302, the deletion of the selected datacan be effected (steps #1203 through #1205).

In the link data generating routine (step #1300: serving also as a linkdata storing operation), as illustrated by the flowchart of FIG. 39, thelink processing means 316 extracts the timing data stored in the harddisc HD and extracts also the photographic date data from Exif dataannexed to the photographic image data stored in the hard disc HD andautomatically generates link data for correlating those agreeing with orsimilar to each other of the plurality of the timing data and theplurality of the photographic date data (steps #1301, #1302).

After the above-described generation of the link data, as shown in FIG.43, the liquid crystal display section 303 displays a confirming screenin which a route 351 is displayed (to be detailed later) and also onthis route 351, the photographic point (agreeing with the symbol 352,the point can be a single point or a plurality of points) is displayedon this route 351 (step #1303).

When the photographic points P are displayed in the manner describedabove, the user (operator) will judge presence/absence of error relativeto the actual photographic positions. Such error is attributable to atime difference which may be present between the timing data generatedby the position acquiring means 5 and a clock incorporated in thedigital camera 21. If such difference or error is present, then, theuser will effect an operation for correcting the photographic date data.With this, the photographic date data of all the photographic image dataobtained by the digital camera 21 will be corrected at one time (steps#1304 through #1306). And, link data will be generated again, and thephotographic point P is displayed on the route 351 for requesting theuser's confirmation and if it is found that the error has beencorrected, then, the process is completed.

Namely, at step #1300, the confirming screen 40 shown in FIG. 43 isdisplayed on the display unit C. In this confirming screen, there aredisplayed the map data, the route 352 on the map data, the photographicpoints P as “link positions” and the photographic image data correlatedwith the photographic points P via the link data in the displaying areaW. Further, under the above-described display condition, if the operatorfinds that the actual photographic point Px where that photographicimage data was obtained is offset by a distance X. Then, the operatorwill operates the operation switch 302 for shifting the photographicpoint P on the route 110 to agree with the actual photographic point Px.

When the photographic point P has been shifted as described above, atime period corresponding to the amount of this shifting of thephotographic point P is displaced as a numeric value at the displayingsection 356. With this, the photographic times of the plurality of imagedata are shifted at one time by the shifted time.

In effecting the above operation, it is preferred that the operatoreffect it based on image data whose photographic point the operatorremembers well. In the link data generating routine (step #1300), theoperator can also freely select image data to be displayed in thedisplaying area W by operating the operation switch 202. Further, inorder to appropriately grasp the positional relationship between thephotographic point P and the actual photographic point Px, it ispossible to display the map data in an enlarged scale.

Further, though not detailed, this image storing apparatus is capablealso of acquiring and processing photographic image data obtained by aplurality of digital cameras 321. When a plurality of digital cameras321 are employed, the apparatus can identify each digital camera basedon the name of the manufacturer and type of the camera included in theExif data, so that the apparatus can effect the operation for correctingthe positional relationship between the photographic point P and theactual photographic point Px for each individual camera.

Incidentally, in the case of the operation illustrated in the flowchartof FIG. 39, in order to correct an error, the operator confirms thephotographic point P and the actual photographic point Px on the map.Instead, the apparatus can be adapted for allowing the shifted time tobe inputted manually as a numerical value. Incidentally, the link datahas a simple data construction in which the position data (latitude andlongitude data) are recorded in correlation with the file number of thephotographic image data.

The above-described playback operation (step #1400) is effected asillustrated by the flowchart of FIG. 40, with the liquid crystal displaysection 303 displaying the playback screen shown in FIG. 44. Upon startof this operation, the position data stored in the hard disc HD areextracted by the predetermined interval and map data corresponding tothe extracted position data are displayed in the playback screen, And,on the map data, the symbol 351 of the position data corresponding tothe initial position is displayed and the route 352 extracted from theroute storing means 314 is displayed on the map data. Then, the symbol351 is moved along this route 352 (steps #1401, #1402).

Further, each time the position data is revised, this revised positiondata is compared with the link data. Then if there exists link dataagreeing with the position data, the image data correlated via this linkdata is extracted from the hard disc HD and displayed in the displayingarea W (steps #1404, #1405).

In this playback screen, there is displayed an indicator 358 forindicating the displaying condition on a time line. When this indicator358 is operated by an operation of the operation switch 302, theposition data is changed and then a playback based on this changedposition data is started (steps #1406, #1407) and these operations arecontinued until their completions (step #1408).

That is to say, this playback operation (step #1400) is execution of theabove-described simulation program. In the playback screen, the symbol351 corresponding to the most initial position data and the map datacorresponding thereto are displayed. And, the plurality of position datastored in the hard disc HD are read out at the predetermined intervalaccording to the order of the storage of these position data. And, theposition data thus retrieved are revised, so that the symbol 351 isdisplayed as being moving on the map data. And, when this symbol 351reaches the photographic point (i.e. if there is link data agreeing withthat position data), the image data correlated with that photographicposition (position data) are extracted from the hard disc HD anddisplayed in the displaying area W.

Further, when the symbol 351 is displayed as being moving on the mapdata, the indicator 358 is moved along the time base, so that theindicator 358 is displayed at a position reflecting the time lapse. And,if the indicator 358 is moved by a desired operation of the operationswitch 302, the playback operation is resumed at the position indicatedby that indicator 302.

In the playback screen shown in FIG. 44, the route 52 is displayed inadvance. However, it is not absolutely needed to display this route 352.Rather, the route 352 can be displayed only at the area of the moving ofthe symbol 351.

At the step #1005, the position data folder storing the plurality ofposition data, the image data folder storing the image data, the linkdata folder storing the plurality of link data, and the simulationprogram are extracted respectively from the hard disc HD. And, the mapdata corresponding to the plurality of position data (agreeing with theroute data) are extracted from the map database and stored to generatethe map data folder. And, this map data folder, the position datafolder, the image data folder, the link data folder, and the playbackprogram are transferred respectively to the personal computer 331.

Also, the mode of the operation may be adapted such that music is playedas BGM during the execution of the simulation program. And, this musicprogram can be stored in advance in the personal computer 325 or can beacquired from a music CD set to the disc drive 334 or acquired via theInternet.

And, after the data have been transferred to the personal computer 331,with the execution of the simulation program, a screen similar to theplayback screen at the playback routine (step #1400) is displayed on thedisplay unit 335 of the personal computer 331, whereby the playbackoperation is effected with displaying the image data obtained at thatphotographic point in the displaying area W while displaying the symbol351 corresponding to that photographic point on the map data.

Especially, during the above-described execution of the simulationprogram, it is effective to play music as BGM. Further, by a printingprogram pre-installed in the personal computer 331, image data may befreely designated from the image data stored in the image folder to beprinted on a print paper 342 by a printer 341.

Also, with this personal computer 331, the map data folder, the positiondata folder, the image data folder, the link data folder and theplayback program acquired by the operation at step #1005 may be storedrespectively in the storage medium Md such as a DVD-R, CR-R, etc. by thedisc drive 334.

Then, by setting the storage medium Md storing the data as describedabove to another personal computer and executing the playback programthereon, the playback operation may be effected with displaying theimage data obtained at that photographic point in the displaying area Wwhile displaying the symbol 351 corresponding to that photographic pointon the map data.

As described above, by carrying the image storage apparatus of theinvention to a trip or trekking and displaying its navigation screen,the user can grasp his/her current position as well as the route 352covered from the symbol being displayed in that screen.

Further, when landscape photos or snap photos are taken by the digitalcamera 321, simply by setting the storage medium Ms storing the imagedata at a desired timing to the semiconductor drive 306, the user canstore each image data in the hard disc HD while confirming whether eachof the plurality of image data stored in that storage medium Md isneeded or not. And, after this storage, based on the photographic datedata of the stored image data and the timing data of the position data,each image data is automatically correlated with the photographic point.

And, after the storage of the image data, in response to selection ofthe playback operation, the playback screen is displayed in the liquidcrystal display section 303. In this screen, the map data and the route352 are displayed and also the symbol 351 (position data) is moved alongthis route. Then, each time this moving symbol 351 reaches aphotographic point, the image data obtained at that photographic point Pare displayed in the displaying area W, so that the user can confirm thephotographic point and the image data in correlation with each other.That is, the image data can be displayed with display of itsphotographic point.

Also, as this image storage apparatus uses the hard disc HD, theapparatus is less costly than a flash memory, but has a greater storagecapacity. Hence, even when the amount of image data has reached themaximum storage capacity of the storage medium Ms used in the digitalcamera 321, by storing the image data in the image storage apparatus ofthe invention, all the image data in the storage medium Ms can then bedeleted, so that the digital camera becomes ready for taking new photos.

Further, after the storage of the image data in the image storageapparatus of the invention, by transferring this image data and thecorrelated data to the personal computer 331, on this personal computer331, the image data can be displayed together with the map data etc. onits liquid crystal display section 303, just like the playback operationeffected in the image storage apparatus.

And, by storing such data which can be played back in the storage mediumMd such as a DVD-R, this storage medium Md can be handled just like anelectronic album. Hence, by setting this storage medium Md to thepersonal computer 331, the image data can be displayed on its displayunit, with the moving symbol 351 indirectly indicating the photographicpoint.

Other Embodiments Relating to Fourth Embodiment

The fourth embodiment described above may be modified as follows.

(a) Instead of the map data, a schematic map such as an illustration ora sightseeing map allowing a user to grasp a geographical position onthe position data can be employed. When such illustration or schematicis used, the amount of data can be reduced, compared with the case usingthe map data. Hence, the useable area in the hard disc HD can beincreased. In particular, if a schematic display such as an illustrationis employed in the display of the playback screen, the system can besimplified.

(b) In the correlating operation between the position data and the imagedata, the Exif data is employed in the foregoing embodiment. Instead,the correlating operation may be made between the position data at thetiming of the image data acquisition, e.g. the timing of setting of thestorage medium Ms storing the image data to the semiconductor drive 306and the image data stored in that storage medium Ms. Namely, if theoperation of storing image data in the image storage apparatus iseffected each time a photo is taken by the digital camera 321, thereoccurs some time error relative to the position data. However, thecorrelation operation can be effected without any practical problem incase the moving speed is low such as in the case of trekking.

(c) In effecting the playback operation, the position correlated withthe image data (agreeing with the photographic point) may be displayedin the form of a dot on the route 352 or the image data may be displayedin the form of thumbnail, so that the user may visually grasp the numberof image data present on the route 342 or the position of thephotographic point.

(d) In the foregoing discussion of fourth embodiment, the digital cameraand the image storage apparatus have been described separately of eachother. The invention is not limited thereto. Instead, a portion of theimage storage apparatus or this entire image storage apparatus may beincorporated in the digital camera.

1. A navigation system comprising: a processing unit for generatingroute data relating to a route along which a vehicle has actuallytraveled, from position data acquired by position acquiring means; animage data acquiring section for acquiring image data; a first storagesection for storing the image data acquired by the image acquiring meansaccording to groups of respective destinations; a second storage sectionfor storing the route data generated by the processing unit; link datagenerating means for correlating the respective destinations with therespective route data via link data; and outputting means configured toextract a group linked to a destination by the link data in response toa manual designation of a route data stored in the second storagesection or to a manual or automatic designation of a designationincluded in that route data and then to output the image data includedin that group from the first storage section to an outputting section.2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said processingunit self-generates route data and said second storage section storesthis self-generated route data, and in response to a manual or automaticdesignation from a plurality of destinations included in the route data,the image data included in a group correlated with that designation isread from the first storage section and displayed.
 3. The navigationsystem according to claim 1, further comprising a map data storagesection for storing map data; and wherein said processing unit extractsfrom the map data storage section, map data corresponding to theposition data acquired by the position acquiring means and causes thedisplay unit to display this map data and the route data on that mapdata.
 4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said imagedata acquiring section includes a semiconductor drive for acquiringimage data from a semiconductor medium adapted for storing image dataobtained by a digital camera or includes a terminal for acquiring imagedata stored in a digital camera via a communication channel.
 5. Thenavigation system according to claim 1, further comprising a media drivefor storing data in a storage medium and storage processing means forstoring data in a storage medium set to said media drive; and whereinsaid storage processing means is adapted for storing, in the storagemedium set to said media drive, a computer-executable program, the magedata stored in the first storage section, the route data stored in thesecond storage section and the link data.
 6. A computer-executableprogram having instructions for realizing an image data storing functionfor storing a plurality of acquired image data according to groups ofrespective destinations; a route data storing function for storing routedata indicative of a route of a vehicle; a link data generating functionfor correlating the respective destinations and the respective routedata with the grouped image data; and an outputting function forextracting a group linked to a destination by link data and outputtingimage data included in that group, in response to a manual designationof a designation included in that route data. 7-21. (canceled)